Enter the red building

The filial piety period can only be decorated a little bit, not to be popular, and to dress up beautifully.Zhuqing was wearing a blue gown, with a green coat on the outside, a jasper hairpin on Liuyun hair style, only a thin layer of foundation was applied on the face, her eyebrows were smoky, she looked very delicate, she was holding the washing utensils, and put them on the table Going up, turned around and skillfully hung up the gauze curtains and hung them on the hooks on both sides, and asked, "Did you sleep well?"

Xue Qiu yawned and smiled, "It's okay!" Who knows that he has no one at all.

Zhu Qing looked into Xue Qiu's eyes and complained: "Master, did you not sleep at all?" Xue Qiu took a look in the mirror, looked at his dark circles, and said with a smile: "I'm thinking about something. Yes Now, when will the shopkeepers come today?"

Zhuqing thought for a while, "I heard from my wife, it should be at this moment."

Xue Qiu rinsed his mouth with green salt, washed his face briefly with water, and took the dry handkerchief from Zhuqing, "Then hurry up, don't make them wait too long."

Breakfast was still eaten in the main room. Xue Qiu thought about it all night, and his mood became better and his appetite was also good. He drank two bowls of millet porridge, ate five small pieces of snacks, and tried some other dishes.Waiting for the maid, Lanrui and Lulian, to take away the bowls, chopsticks and plates, and serve tea and other things, just like the description in the Red Mansion Jia's Mansion, first rinse your mouth and then wash your hands, although it feels a little troublesome, but Xue Qiu can't afford it.

Exit the west courtyard where you are, pass the vertical corner door, walk through the corridor, and look at the Xiangfei bamboo beside the corridor. When the wind blows, it will rustle, which has a special taste.Soon they arrived at the main hall of the outer courtyard, Bai Xia, Xue Qiu's personal servant, had already been waiting at the door, and the hall was almost full.

Mrs. Xue was already sitting in front of the hall, sipping tea, and seeing Xue Qiu approaching, the smile on her face and the caring look on Xue Qiu's heart warmed her heart.Mrs. Xue is wearing a navy blue jacket today, with a plain brocade skirt underneath. There is no hair ornament on her head. Her face is better than yesterday, but I don't know if she deliberately concealed her sickness.

"Greetings, sir!" The steward, shopkeeper and other people bowed and said in unison.

Xue Qiu nodded stiffly, but with a calm face, he greeted Mrs. Xue.Then he sat next to Mrs. Xue, picked up a cup of tea and looked at the managers below.

Mrs. Xue looked at Xue Qiu's performance happily. She originally thought that Qiu'er would shrink back and couldn't hold back the big scene, but now it seems to be okay.Putting down the teacup lightly, although he didn't say a word, the atmosphere has become a little depressed.This is the momentum of being in power.

"You are all old people in the family. I didn't ask you to come here for any other reason. It's just that the master has left and needs a manager outside. I'm a woman and it's hard to take care of my family. From now on, I will leave everything to the master to take care of the shop outside. Hand over the account book and the keys to the counter to the uncle. Do you understand?" Mrs. Xue's tone was light, and she spit out each word without haste, but no one dared to object.

They all replied in unison: "Understood!"

Mrs. Xue went on to say: "Then you guys should explain to the uncle here!" She got up and prepared to go back to the inner courtyard.Xue Qiu hurriedly got up to see her off, Mrs. Xue signaled no need, and left with her maid beside her.

Nanny Li helped Mrs. Xue, and asked as she walked, "Madam won't stay? What if the uncle is fooled?"

"No, the uncle has grown up! Master, you can rest assured!" Mrs. Xue was a little confident, but also a little emotional and relieved, with tears in the corners of her eyes.

Xue Qiu in the outer courtyard still didn't say a word, just held a cup of tea, took a sip, and looked at the people below.

depressed!The atmosphere became very depressing!

The people below put away their small thoughts and waited for Xue Qiu to speak.

Then Xue Qiu laughed, a little casually, "Father, you are asked to manage those shops, are you capable of taking care of them?"

Everyone was silent, not knowing how to answer.

With a "bang", Xue Qiu put down his teacup heavily, "What? Don't you have the ability to take care of the shop at all?" Everyone was taken aback, even the bamboo green and purple jade behind them were suppressed by Xue Qiu's aura.

Just this ups and downs of stillness and movement scared the crowd below.

Xu Cheng, an old shopkeeper in his 50s, replied: "Master's vision is naturally good." Good shop.

After hearing this, Xue Qiu was a little surprised. Shopkeeper Xu is indeed an old shopkeeper. His father consulted with him on everything, and he was the only one who managed several shops. He smiled and said, "That's natural! In fact, I don't want to come here , do you still dare to fool me?" Although it looked like a joke, no one dared to think it was a joke.

Everyone said in succession: "Don't dare!"

Xue Qiu didn't say much, and turned to the main topic, "Now, let's talk about which shops are making profits, which shops are losing money, and how much did Zhuangzi earn last year?"

Everyone looked at the shopkeeper next to them, not knowing who would come first.

"Master, the silk and satin shops and pawnshops on East Street are the same as in previous years, and the profits have not decreased, while the profits of the medicine shops have decreased slightly, and the wood shops have not lost money but have no profits." Shopkeeper Xu said first.Shopkeeper Xu is only in charge of these four shops.

Xue Qiu nodded and said nothing.

Then everyone began to report on the business situation of the shop these days one by one.Xue Qiu also knew that the only restaurant was suffering serious losses.There is nothing on Zhuangzi. After all, the harvest will not be known until the end of the year, but this year there will be no disasters and it should be the same as usual.The silk and satin shops and wood shops on West Street are losing money, and the shops on the north and south sides are doing well, basically the same as in previous years.

Xue Qiu waited for them all to finish talking, "Okay, I know everything. You guys leave the account book later, shopkeeper Xu, shopkeeper Li, and steward Xue, you three stay, and the others can leave first."

After the others had left, Xue Qiu felt a little uncomfortable, they were all considered his elders, but Xue Qiu couldn't lower his posture too much because of the level of master and servant. "

While looking at the ledger, Xue Qiu ordered, "Go and give shopkeeper Xu a chair to sit on."

Shopkeeper Xu and the three thanked Xue Qiu before sitting down.

The ledger that Xue Qiu mainly reads now is the ledger of the restaurant. The words on it are all in traditional Chinese characters, and they are all written from right to left. At first glance, it is a bit difficult for Xue Qiu, but after a while, he will be able to quickly and accurately know some information. .This is all due to ten years of reading books.

In the past, Xue Qiu also managed the shop with his father and was in touch with business, but he was just not very proficient.Now Xue Qiu can quickly see some tricks in the account book, "Master Li, it seems that the purchase and sale of materials has been a little too much in recent months?"

When shopkeeper Li heard this, cold sweat broke out on his back.In the past few months, he has handed over the sales and purchase of restaurant materials to his nephew, but how could he not know the tricks in it.At first, I was thinking about whether to make up some, but my nephew persuaded me to fool it, but my uncle noticed it before I thought about it.

"It should be that the price of vegetables has increased in recent months." The voice trembled.Shopkeeper Xu and Steward Xue both shook their heads secretly. They still wanted to plead guilty at this time, and the uncle had already seen it.

Xue Qiu looked directly at shopkeeper Li, a stern look flashed in his eyes, but he smiled and said, "Should? Shopkeeper Li, you are probably confused. In business, one is one and the other is two. You actually told me that you should!" Voice suddenly increased. , slapping it heavily on the high table.

Shopkeeper Li was so frightened that cold sweat dripped from his forehead and his hands were shaking. He knelt on the ground and only called out "Master" before being interrupted.

Xue Qiu asked Xue Ze and Steward Xue: "Butler Xue, what do you think should be done with this slave who bullies the master?"

"Pack fifty boards and sell them." Steward Xue said bluntly.

Shopkeeper Xu's eyes lit up, he basically knew what Xue Qiu was thinking, and he admired Xue Qiu from the bottom of his heart.

"Master, I was wrong, I was wrong, I'm sorry master, I'm sorry master, please forgive me this time!" Shopkeeper Li was really in a mess, all he could do was cry and beg for mercy.

Xue Qiu pretended to be surprised, and asked puzzledly: "Shopkeeper Li, what's the matter, I just asked Steward Xue how to deal with slaves who bully the master, how can you say that you are wrong?" The people around couldn't help but want to laugh.

Shopkeeper Li doesn't want to laugh at all now, he just keeps begging for mercy. Once this is sold, the decency of several generations will be gone.

"You made such a mistake just after my father was born, how do you ask me to explain to my father?" Xue Qiu sighed, "Forget it, since your family has served Xue's family for several years, I will forgive you You this time, but the shopkeeper is not you."

Before Xue Qiu could finish speaking, shopkeeper Li repeatedly promised, "Never again, thank you sir! Thank you sir!" He kowtowed as he spoke.

"Get up."

Shopkeeper Li escaped, wiped the sweat off his face, and after sitting down, remembered that a new restaurant opened nearby had reduced business, so he hurriedly told Xue Qiu.

Xue Qiu nodded to show that he understood, and said to shopkeeper Xu: "Shopkeeper Xu, I will let you take care of the restaurant first, and shopkeeper Li will assist you, how about it? I will think about the restaurant affairs again, and I will tell you how to do it in detail tomorrow." .”

The two nodded yes.

"Okay, I will read the books of other shops as soon as possible, so you all go down first!"

Zhuqing handed over a cup of tea, said with a smile: "Master, you are really good today!" Ziyu Baixia also said.

Xue Qiu rubbed the acupuncture points on his forehead, and sighed: "Where, I've been tossing around all morning, I'm almost exhausted. I'll have dinner with my mother later, go and tell me."

Ziyu nodded, and went to the main room in the inner courtyard.